Robert Morris earns weekend split with men’s ice hockey

Bobcats take 48 shots-on-goal, fall to Colonials, 4-0

Despite playing on six power plays and winning 64 percent of their face-offs Sunday afternoon, Quinnipiac lost their contest to Robert Morris, 4-0. The Bobcats outshot the Colonials in every period, including a 13 shot advantage in the third.

“Defensively we weren’t very good,” Quinnipiac head coach Rand Pecknold said. “Two of the three goals were breakaway goals, real sloppy defensive play. I thought we were really good last night defensively, and tonight we were poor.”

Quinnipiac (2-1-0) began the first period by creating the majority of their chances in the slot and driving into the offensive zone. The Bobcats continued to keep the pressure on, until 17:27 when the Colonials hit the back of the net for the first time.

Tyler Hinds skated to the point while David Friedmann screened Quinnipiac goaltender Eric Hartzell. Hinds drilled a shot at the net, and Friedmann redirected it in for the 1-0 lead.

Just 53 seconds later, Robert Morris (1-1-0) hit the twine again. Jeff Jones skated up the offensive wing before centering the puck to Zach Hervato. Hervato flicked the puck past Hartzell for the 2-0 advantage after the first.

After a relatively quiet beginning to the period, the Bobcats offense had various scoring chances from the 11th minute on. Connor and Kellen Jones skated into a two-on-one before a missed pass ended the threat. Later while on the power play, Zach Tolkinen fired a pass to Matthew Peca from the point. Peca missed the open right side as his shot hit Colonial goaltender Eric Levine’s left pad.

Robert Morris put the game out of reach early in the third period. Hinds took a penalty for interference at 1:28, and the Colonials got a short-handed score 73 seconds later.

Hervato skated into the slot on a breakaway, while Hartzell went for the diving poke check. Hervato deked around Hartzell, and flipped the puck backhanded into the top right corner for his second goal of the afternoon.

Quinnipiac later had two final chances come in the period. Soren Jonzzon fired a shot at Levine’s left shoulder, and it danced around in the crease before being covered. Later, Mike Dalhuisen ripped a shot from the edge of the circle off the post and out.

The Colonials added an empty net goal by Adam Brace with 56 seconds remaining to seal the contest.

“I’m disappointed,” Pecknold said. “We didn’t play well today. We need to win at home.”
The Bobcats outshot Robert Morris 48 to 25. Quinnipiac also took 15 of their shots on their six power plays.

“Our power play is just out of sync right now,” Pecknold said. “It’s early in the season, we need to get our power play on track.”

Quinnipiac squares off against Ohio State in a pair of games Oct. 19 and Oct. 20. Puck drop is scheduled for 7 p.m. and 4 p.m. respectively.